StarCross Lovers
by Ana Forever in the stars
Summary: Caroline begins to question everything about herself when he suddenly becomes a part of her life.
1. An Unexpected Friendship

Caroline's eyes fluttered against the morning sunlight. The sun stroke past the curtains, and she cursed herself for not buying thicker curtains. She pressed her eyes harder, her body crying out with pain. She wanted to pull the covers over her eyes, and sleep well into the day.

Truth it, she wanted to forget.

She let out a loud groan, throwing the sheets halfway across her bed. She laid there for a moment, staring at her while, dull ceiling. The memories from last night began to come back.

_She sat there on the bed, useless. Her body was burning from the werewolve- hybrid- bite. She glanced over at her neck, and saw that the infection of the bite is spreading across her, now reaching her shoulder. The venom, that's what she chose to call it, is slowly killing her._

_She wanted to blame Tyler for this. She loved him so much, and this is how he paid her back for her love. Her anger for him and his true identity was overwhelming at first, but it soon diminished. There was no point for being angry. Death was inevitable. What's the point of spending her last hours with an ugly emotion?_

_A small, bitter laugh escaped her lips. The irony of the day's events have come through her. Her, Elena, Matt, and Bonnie have celebrated her "death' at 17. She was no longer human, and the bitterness of not turning a year older, or feeling that excitement anymore felt strange. She was no longer the person she was, and before she was bitten, she had already died._

_The new Caroline Forbes- friend, daughter, vampire- was born the moment she blew out the candles. It was only for a moment, but Caroline felt the freedom of finally accepting who she was. She was no longer the pretty blonde cheerleader, nor the typical, all- American teenager. She was Caroline Forbes, the strong vampire, the daughter her mother had truly loved, and most importantly, a friend that both Elena and Bonnie had became proud of. _

_How short that freedom was. She thought she had it all. Her friends surrounding her, laughing and celebrating her life. It was back again, the good old days where witches and vampires didn't exist. They were once again the four musketeers- a nickname Caroline secretly gave them. They weren't fighting against Originals or hybrids. They were regular teenagers, drinking behind parent supervision at night and attending their local high school by day._

_When Tyler came, she felt her heart- or at least that's what like she thinks- slam against her chest. The sight of him was so intoxicating. Her vampire power allowed her to smell his shampoo from a distance and her eyes traveled around his body, noticing how his shirt had sculpted his body well. His eyes, the dark, brown, almost black eyes that enchanted her from the beginning, caught her own. She held her breath, and everything around her started to disappear._

_Her friends paused, startled by his presence. She could hear Matt's voice speaking angrily against his former friend. _Oh, Matt, _Caroline thought. _Oh, lovely, overprotective Matt. I'm so sorry.

_Caroline felt her body move. Her lips parted, and without being aware of much of anything else, she spoke out in Tyler's defense. She could see Elena making a move for Matt, reaching for his arm and squeezing it. Elena looked at Caroline, and her eyes spoke the world Caroline has bee dying to hear: Go._

_Caroline smiled thinly, and grabbed Tyler's arm before Matt can stop her. Using their super speed ability, the ran away from her party and deeper into the woods. Caroline stopped a couple minutes later, aware that the distance between her and her friends are far enough for them not to follow her. _

_Her back was still on Tyler. She could not bear to look at him alone. Despite how secure a vampire can be, she herself can't control her human emotions, much less the heighten ones thanks to her being. _

"_Caroline, look at me," Tyler said._

_Caroline didn't move. Frustrated, Tyler grabbed her arm and spun her around. He gripped her with both of his arms. His strength scared her. He was much stronger than her, and she knew that she would be defenseless if she ever came up against him._

"_I love you, Caroline. I love you," he whispered._

_Those three words- the words she wanted to hear from him ever since they were together- sent chills against her body. Her knees began to buckle, and she began to feel even more overwhelm. But despite her fear, her sadness, and even the slight anger, she whispered, "I love you too."_

_He kissed her then, and she responded to him hungrily. He pinned her against the tree, and the kiss deepened. She let out a small, pleasurable moan while Tyler kissed her long, slender neck._

_Then, before she knew it, he bit her. The pain- death- was here._

_He released her then, and shot back at least ten feet away from her. Her hand shot up towards her neck, reaching for the spot where he bit her. "You bit me," she whispered._

"_Caroline, no, I'm sorry," Tyler began, reaching for her once more._

"_No! Don't touch me! Get out of here!" she screamed._

_A moment of confliction appeared in Tyler's face. He tried reaching for her again, but fought himself against it. Without saying another word, he disappeared into the night._

Caroline sat up on her bed. The sun warmed her skin, but she still felt the chills of the night. She brought her knees to her chest, and wrapped her arms around it. She buried her head into her knees, trying to prevent the tears from strolling down her cheeks.

_She thought she was going to die there in the wood, but Matt found her minutes later. He quickly accessed her, and without saying much of anything, lifted her into his arms. She went in and out of consciousness on the ride back home. She finally woke up on her bed, her mother sitting right beside her._

"_Caroline," she said, her eyes red, her cheeks raw from the tears. _

_But the blackness overwhelmed her once more. She woke up against, not really quite sure what time it was. She could hear conversations outside her door, but strangely, she heard three voices._

_Matt was there, and so was her mother, but who else? It wasn't Elena or Bonnie. It was a male voice, silky and reassuring. She was sure it was not Tyler's. His voice was too deep, too gruffly to be the intruder. _

_Then the voices died down, and she could hear the footsteps coming towards her door. She looked at the door, waiting patiently, not knowing who to expect._

"_Klaus"._

_The Original vampire stopped at the front of her door, unsure about what to do next. She has never seen him like this; he was always confident and charming. But now? To her, he looked so normal, a man, young and lost._

_The fear that has always gripped her heart whenever he's around never came. Instead, she found peace now._

"_Caroline," he said, slowly making his way towards her bed. He sat down gently right next to her, making sure that their body never made contact. "Tyler told me what happened"._

"_Are you here to finish his job?" she asked weakly._

_His eyes widened, and his hand reached for hers. "No, sweetheart, never. Despite everything I have done, I would never harm you". He squeezed her hand softly, not wanting to inflict more pain upon this gentle girl._

"_If you're not here to kill me, then leave me to die," she said to him._

_Klaus moved his arms gently, wrapping it under her body. He was holding her now, almost baby-like. "Don't say that. Please, don't wish for your death," he said._

_For a moment, Caroline thought he was begging for it, not asking. She never thought that this vampire- the most powerful one she has ever met- even noticed her. She thought she was just a newborn vampire, not worth his time or thoughts. But now, here he was-venerable and gentle. _

"_Who are you to me to ask such a question?" she asked him accusingly. "All you ever done was destroy my friends and my town"._

_He sighed. "There's no point for me to lie. Yes, I have done the things you have accused me of. I have made havoc in this little town of yours, and even killed your best friend. But Caroline, I never hurt you. I would never, for the life of me, bring myself to hurt you. I-" he trailed of._

_A silence passed between them. Caroline studied his face. She never noticed how handsome he was, or how sad his eyes were. She always saw him as a cold vampire, hell-bent on having his way. But now, she saw him for what he truly was; a man in search for friendship, for love._

"_I could let you die right now. I would never that choice away from you, Caroline. But before you choose that, I'm going to let you know on this little secret. If you think your life is north worth living, you are a fool. There are great thing out there for you- wonderful cities, exotic food, exciting adventures with your name on it. I myself have thought of ending my life just like that. Die in my own free will, and my body would rot without anyone knowing I was dead. But then, I thought to myself, what would I be missing? What city would I miss? Who would I have never met if I died right there?"_

_Her cheeks were now wet with her tears. She felt his arm move, and he was now offering her his blood. _

"_Truth to be told, I don't want you to die. I had been alone for centuries. I wonder the streets, bending my back backwards trying to find a companion, someone like my own. A hybrid, you could say. I was hoping that maybe with someone like my own, I would not feel alone anymore. But when I created them, I still felt alone"._

"_Then, I met you, Caroline. When I saw you for the first time, I could not believe my eyes. You are so beautiful, so precious. In the midst of this chaos, you were the one that kept everything together. Nothing fazed you. Your courage, your determination amazed me. The loneliness I felt was gone. With you, I felt.. better". _

"_I could force you to drink my blood, you know. I am stronger than you, but like I said before, I would never take your free will away from you. But before you make any decision, I beg of you again to reconsider your death". _

_He tiled her chin upwards, and forced her to look at him in the eyes._

"_I don't want to die," she whispered._

_He moved his arms closer, a small smile appearing at his lips. "There you go, sweetheart. Have at it". _

She released the grip on her legs, unaware how hard she had been gripping it. She touched her neck again, smooth and soft like ever before. When she turned her head, she noticed a small package lying beside her night table. Her arms stretched across the bed, snatching the box off the table.

She laid it on her bed in front of her. The box was beautiful from the outside. It was small and simple, with only a bow tied on top. Not wasting another moment, she opened the box.

Inside laid the most beautiful bracelet she had ever seen. It was similar to Tyler's, but this one for some odd reason bought her more joy than the one that rested on her wrist.

Her hand graced the bracelet before reaching for the white card that she moved aside. Her heart started to beat a little faster than before. She didn't want to open the card because she knew what was written inside.

She bit her lip, and pushed her fear aside. _There's no way it could be from him_, she thought. _Never_.

But she was wrong. The card read: _From yours truly, Klaus_.


	2. Nothing Stays Dead Forever

A small, almost silent knock had woken Caroline from her comatose state. She didn't have a time to reply when Elena entered the room. The slender brunette assessed her friend with an apologetic look.

"Caroline, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you go with Tyler. It's all-"

"Stop it, Elena. You wouldn't have known what was going to happen. Nobody did, especially me. If we had to blame anyone here, it's mine. I shouldn't have allowed Tyler to come at all, much less leaving with him, knowing who he is," Caroline interrupted. "So no more apologies, okay? I'm alive, so let us move on from this."

Elena shook her head, her brown hair tumbling around her shoulders. "Don't blame yourself Caroline. It's not your fault. It's Tyler's.. and Klaus."

_Klaus._

Caroline closed her eyes, and touched the bracelet he gave her under her sheets. She had quickly hidden it from Elena's sights right before she entered the room. She didn't want anyone to know, especially Elena. She had too many troubles already, dealing with Stefan and whatever Damon is doing to her.

Caroline felt Elena's hand gripped her forearm. "Caroline, are you okay?"

She opened her eyes to meet Elena's worried look. She was in awe of this woman, who had to deal with the greatest tragedies she ever heard of. Yet, she had time to worry about others- even her. "I'm fine," Caroline lied. "What happened to you yesterday?"

Elena released Caroline and looked down. "I saw Stefan," she said.

A smile appeared on Caroline's lips. _He finally came around_, she thought. "And then?"

Elena shook her head, blinking away the tears. "He tried to kill me, Caroline. Well, I'm not sure if he was exactly planning to. Maybe he was lying, but he drove incredibly fast, and made me drink his blood. He tried to turn me into a _vampire_."

"He did this, all of this, trying to spite Klaus. To be honest, he's worse than his ripper personality. At least when he turned off humanity, he wasn't trying to kill me. But now? I don't even know who this person anymore. And now, I'm wondering if I even fell in love with the true Stefan. Was it all a lie?"

Caroline wrapped her arms around her friend. She felt Elena trembling around her. "Sshh, sweetie. It's going to be okay. Everything is going to work out in the end. Trust me."

But somehow, Caroline began to doubt her own words.

"Honestly, after everything, we still have this stupid ball to deal with?" Caroline asked as she held her clipboard.

It was a week later, and so far, nothing supernatural- vampire or witch business- had seemingly disappeared from Mystics Falls. Caroline, as last year's Ms. Mystic Falls, had to deal with planning and coordinating the Founder's Fall as part of her responsibilities with the title.

Both Elena and Bonnie didn't look up or answered her question. They were both too busy decorating the entrance to the City Hall. Around her, everyone in Mystic Falls are busy either decorating, preparing food, or building something.

The peace that came after the tragedy was oddly reassuring. She hasn't thought about Tyler, or even Klaus this past week. All her energy was thrown into taking care of Elena and fulfilling her duties to her town. Her best friends and the people of Mystic Falls are very important to her. If this ball helped bring peace and fun to everyone around her, the least she could do was help plan it.

"I think we're done," Bonnie said, standing up. "Is there anything else we need to do?"

Caroline snapped away from her thoughts and looked at the clipboard. "No, I think we're done. I think everyone is finishing up now, so I think we can go home and get ready."

"I don't think you guys are done just yet," a voice behind her spoke up.

Startled, Caroline turned around and found Damon smirking behind her. _Typical, _Caroline thought. _Does he ever take anything seriously? _

"Damon," Elena whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, that's not a way to welcome someone you kissed," Damon replied, still smirking.

Caroline saw Elena look down at her shoes, uncomfortable.

"What do you want Damon?" Bonnie stepped forward. "This is not the time to tease anyone with Klaus and Stefan battling their fights in this town. If you don't have anything important to say, I suggest you leave before I make you leave."

"Ooh, snippy," Damon replied, unaffected by Bonnie's threats. "But I think before you do your little witch trick, I just want to tell you guys something I found out. You know how quiet this past week had been? Well, I thought it was too quiet, so I began to trail Stefan."

Hearing Stefan's name even made Elena more uncomfortable. Damon however, was still unaware of how much of an effect he has over her. "I think he's planning something big tonight. Something really, really big."

"Like what?" Caroline asked.

"That's the thing, I don't know. I've got to admit, I think Stefan is getting good at this whole villain thing. He might even be better at Klaus- and I hate to admit this, even me. But that's besides the matter. What I know is that he's going to call out Klaus big time tonight. You think that whole bridge incident was big? That's going to be small in comparison of what he's planning for," he said.

The three girls stared at Damon, unsure of what's going to happen next. "Where is he going to execute this brilliant plan of his, if I may ask?" Caroline asked.

"Here, actually. Tonight, at the Founder's Ball." Damon replied.

The Ball was well on its way. Everyone from adults and teenagers are mingling with each other, holding glass cups and having little conversations with each other. Caroline kept her distance in the corner, studying everyone around her. Most importantly, she's looking for Stefan, hoping to see him before anyone else did.

To her, Stefan was some sort of a mentor. He trained her when she first became a vampire. He was so kind to her, almost like a big brother. Stefan protected not only Elena, but her and Bonnie too when they were venerable. He was just so kind and compassionate, and she could never have known that this man they were looking for what the same person she remembered.

"Caroline."

The blonde vampire turned around, and was startled at the man standing in front of her. His hair was neatly combed back, his suit was pressed to its finest, and the sight of him overall was too much for her.

"Klaus," she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

Instead of answering her question, his eyes traveled up and down her body, studying her. "You look beautiful tonight, sweetheart," he said.

She took his arm, and led him to a more isolated room, away from everyone, especially her friends. "I'm not your sweetheart, Klaus," she said. "What are you doing here? Are you trying to kill somebody?"

He looked at her, shocked. "Do you really think that low of me? That I only exist to kill people? If you have forgotten, I saved you last week. Doesn't that mean anything at all?"

"Thank you for saving me," she said. Caroline reached into her bag, and took out the silver bracelet that he gave her last week. "But I don't need this. I don't need anything else from you. Your blood is enough, and hopefully that was the last time that we will ever have some sort of.. whatever that was."

Klaus looked at the bracelet that she was holding out. She thought he was going to take it away from her, but instead he shook his head and pushed her hand away. "No, please. Keep it. It's a gift, after all."

Caroline thought a moment, and then tucked the bracelet back into her bag. "Look, my friends need me. I can't do this right now. Stefan-"

At the sound of that name, Klaus's eyes darkened. "Is he here?" he demanded.

"No, he's not," Caroline replied, startled by the sudden change in his voice. "Did he invite you here?"

Klaus nodded his head. "Yes he did. He told me that if I don't come and make myself known, I won't see my family again."

Caroline saw the sadness in his eyes as he rubbed his temples. She felt her finger twitch, wanting to touch him, to comfort him. _What are you doing?_ She asked herself. She curled her fingers instead, feeling her nails digging into her skin. _Don't touch him._

As if he was sensing her distressed, he looked at her in the eye again. "Caroline-"

"You have to go, Klaus. We can't be seen with each other. I don't want my friends to start asking questions. I don't want them to doubt me like they did to Tyler. I can't lose them too, not after all of this," Caroline interrupted. She saw him retreating back to his old self, his eyes now guarded. "Please, let's make this the last time we have to talk to each other. I am utterly grateful for you offering your blood to me. I really am. But I can't forgive you for everything you did. You destroyed my town, tortured my friends, and changed Tyler."

Caroline took a deep breath. She felt terrible for saying all those things, but she wasn't entirely lying. He did do all those things. What would her friends say when they found out she was talking to the enemy? Worse, what if they found out she was _friendly_ with him?

"You're right," was all Klaus said before he pushed past her. She closed her eyes again, trying to regain her composure. Her mind is reeling with all these confusing thoughts; she can't even distinguish one emotion from the other.

Her cell phone rang from her bag, startling her. She reached into the bag, fumbling through the ridiculous things inside. Her screen brightened with a text notification. Her fingers thumbed through the glass screen, opening the text.

_He's here. Come out now. –Elena_

Not wasting another moment, she stuffed her phone back into her bag and walked back into the party. The room was still lively as she left it before, but she felt something eerie entering the room. Her eyes scanned through the crowd, searching for the source of the uneasiness. She saw Damon and Elena on the other side of the room, too searching for the same thing she was. She caught Elena's eye, and her friend gave her a tight smile.

Suddenly, a scream ran through the room.

Caroline snapped her head forward. The crowd didn't notice the scream, but she could see Damon looking around for the commotion. Caroline was wrong; the scream didn't originate in the room, but somewhere close, maybe outside. No one, at least no human, could notice the scream, but her and Damon, or any other vampire in this room, can.

She didn't look at Elena or Damon again. She rushed through the crowd, pushing everyone out of her way. Stumbling toward the door, she opened it.

The cold wind greeted her. She had half a mind to go back for her wrap, but she knew that there was no time. Using her super speed, she ran through the empty yard, searching for the person who screamed.

Her instincts took her into woods surrounding the City Hall. Her eyes scanned the empty woods, not really sure what she's looking for. Her eyes finally landed on a figure laying right across the yard.

She ran across the field until she loomed over the figure. Gasping, she stepped back, her hand covering her mouth.

_Tyler._

He was laying flat out on the ground, his limbs standing out in odd figure. She tried to calm herself, reason with her own mind. _He's a hybrid. He can heal himself._

But why isn't he healing now?

Tears began to pour down her cheeks. She felt her lungs tightening around her, the air disappearing from the world. Vampire didn't need to breathe, but she felt that everything around her was trying to suffocate her from the inside out.

A pair of strong arms surrounded her shaking body. She didn't jump from this embrace; she immediately knew who it was.

"We have to get out of here. He's going to come back. It's not safe for you," Klaus said, trying to pull her back from Tyler's body.

"No! You have to do something; you have to save him! Give him your blood! Do something!" Caroline screeched, trying to break away from the embrace.

"I will, but I have to get you out of here! Your live is worth more to me than him!" Klaus said. "Please, Caroline. I will come back and do what I can to him, but please, let me get you out of here!"

A loud, almost evil, chuckle caused Klaus to pull back from the embrace. Both of their heads turned to see the figure- or figures standing right behind them.

"Why, hello brother," the man greeted Klaus. The taller of the two smirked at him, while the other began to study Caroline. "Do you like my little homecoming present?"


	3. Family Reunion

"Elijah," Klaus whispered.

The oldest vampire stood not too far from the hybrid. He was still well dressed, his tuxedo fitting his body perfectly. Next to him was a man that Caroline cannot recognize. He was tall like both the brothers, but his shoulder was broader, his lips pressed tight against each other. His eyes studied Caroline carefully, taking in her beautiful dress, her blond hair curling at her shoulders.

"You certainly cannot forget our other brother, Klaus. Don't you remember Finn? Or has it been too long since you kept him lock up in your little coffin of yours?" Elijah asked.

_Brother. Another original, _Caroline thought.

"How?" Klaus managed to ask.

"It's simple, really. Your little lap dog- or is he your enemy now?- undagered me. Of course I cannot miss the opportunity to take the rest of my family as well," Elijah replied.

Suddenly, Klaus collapsed on the ground next to her. Standing behind them was Rebekah, holding on to the dagger that could neutralize the other originals. Caroline jumped from where she was standing, stumbling away from Klaus and his little sister.

Behind her however, stood another man. He held her by her arms tightly, preventing her from running. She could feel his breath against her neck, his nose grazing the base of her shoulders.

"Beautiful, this one," the man said. "I've always admired his taste in girls, although I could never see the attraction he found in the Petrova girls."

"Let her go, Kol. She is no use of us," Elijah ordered.

The man released her, although not too nicely. She stumbled forward the direction of Klaus, who was regaining his composure. He caught her before she fell onto the ground, and then pushed her behind his back, putting as much space as he could from his siblings.

The Originals stood in front of the two, their anger evident in their eyes. Even if it's dark, she could see how angry most of them are from what Klaus did to them. She knew she would probably be dead if it wasn't for Klaus standing in front of her. Elijah, she knew, would probably tear her apart just to get his way.

"What do you want?" Klaus asked his siblings.

"It's simple: we want the doppelganger dead," Rebekah replied.

Elijah raised his hand, silencing his little sister. "No, that is not what we want. We are willing to spare your little project in return for the fourth coffin."

"I don't have the fourth coffin," Klaus answered. "The Salvatores have it."

"Excellent," Kol replied. "Now things are getting a bit more exciting that I have expected."

Elijah shot his brother a silencing look before turning back to Klaus. "Funny. They never said that they have the fourth coffin. But that doesn't change much of anything. You are still going to give us the fourth coffin."

"And now why would I do that?" Klaus replied.

"If you don't, your little blond vampire and everyone in this town- including your little walking blood bank- would suffer the price," Rebekah said, her smile burning right through Caroline.

The fear paralyzed Caroline. She could feel Klaus's grip tightening around her, even to the point where she thought that he would break her bones. _He's scared, _Caroline thought. Klaus, a man she thought that could never feel anything, much less fear, is actually scared of his siblings.

"You have one week to give us the coffin," Elijah said, his back turning on the two. His other siblings joined him, ready to leave their hybrid brother. "Or _she _would be the first to go."

* * *

><p>Klaus dragged Caroline back into her house, and headed straight to her room. "Pack your bags. We're leaving," he said as he pushed her inside.<p>

The Forbes house was silent, as her mother was still in the ball, unaware of the recent events that took place minutes ago. After the original siblings departed, Klaus didn't waste another minute before picking her up and dragging her back into her house.

"What?" Caroline asked, as Klaus rummaged through her closet, throwing her clothes onto her bed. "We can't leave."

Klaus ignored her as he placed her clothes inside a discarded bag he found on the floor. He pushed her clothes inside the bag before zipping the bag up. "We'll just buy the rest of the things on our way. Let's go," he said, picking up the bag with his hand before taking Caroline's with the other.

"No!" she screamed, stopping Klaus in his tracks. "We are not leaving."

Klaus looked at her as if she was a child. "Yes, we are," he said slowly, as if she didn't understand the danger that is looming over her head. "I need to protect you, Caroline."

Caroline tore her head from Klaus's. "I am not leaving with you. I am not your liability, Klaus. I am not even your _friend_. Why do you care so much for my safety?"

Klaus sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I… fancy you, Caroline," he confessed.

She looked at him, still doubtful. "Why?"

His eyes locked onto her. "You're beautiful, you're strong. You're full of light," he answered her in the most serious of tones. "I enjoy you, sweetheart. Being around you makes me forget of what I did. You.. you bring the best out of me."

The look on his face removed the doubt she had of him. He was telling the truth. She never met anyone that look at her this way before, not even on Tyler or Matt. This look- the look that she always saw on Stefan when he looks at Elena- stirred up something inside of her.

Shaking her head, she snapped back into reality. "The best out of you? We barely know each other!" Caroline retorted. "And as far as I know, you don't have a good side."

"Stop arguing with me!" he snapped back, his voice rose to an extent that scared Caroline. She took a step back from him. He quickly regretted screaming at her as she moved away from him. Sighing once more, he stepped forward, reaching for Caroline. "I'm sorry, love. But we really do need to leave. Just pick a place. I can take you anywhere- as long as it is far away from Mystic Falls as possible."

"No," Caroline whispered. "We can't just leave everyone here to die. They're my friends, Klaus. I can't imagine my life knowing that I am responsible for their death."

He stepped forward again, his frustration getting the best of him. "I can compel you to leave with me, you know," he said, looking right into Caroline's brown eyes. "It's that simple."

Caroline held her head back high, her eyes never averting from Klaus's. "I know you can," she said. "But I know you wouldn't."

Klaus studied her for a moment, his eyes searching for the fear that was visible just a minute ago. But now, the way she's looking at him, so brave and beautiful, he knew that she was telling the truth. He couldn't compel her like that.

Frustrated, he threw his bag back onto the bed. He moved from where he was standing, and joined the bag on the bed. He sat down on the edge, pressing his hand against his temples.

The silence that came between them didn't last for a while, but for Caroline, it felt like eternity. She was still standing on the same spot, unsure of what to do next. A part of her wanted to comfort Klaus. She never saw how vulnerable he is, how delicate he can be when family is involved.

Caroline moved towards Klaus's direction, her hand finding its way onto Klaus's. She bent her knees forward, lowering her eye similar to Klaus's at that moment. He quickly engulfed her hand into his. She never realized how warm his hand was, stricken how possible it could be that a vampire would be warm to the touch.

He looked at her once more, his eyes filled with sadness, fear, and something else Caroline can't detect. "What now?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** Hey guys! Sorry for the late update. I've been kinda busy with a little thing called school, haha. Anyways, so one thing has been bothering me: How do you put the line across, dividing the scenes apart from each other? I think I inserted it, and it's visible when I clicked edit/preview Document here, but it doesn't appear on the actual story (the thing you see). Can someone help me? Oh, and if it is there by the time you're reading this, disregard the message! (which means it took a while for the line to appear or something..)_


	4. The Morning After

It was early in the morning, a couple hours after midnight. Klaus laid down on the bed, unable to sleep. His eyes averted from the ceiling, something he's been staring at for hours, to the woman next to him.

Caroline slept peacefully, taken in after the horrible night. She received a phone call earlier from Elena, who informed her about Tyler's condition. Both of them had forgotten about the young hybrid on the ground when they encountered his siblings. Klaus smirked, slightly amused that Caroline had forgotten about her so-called love of her life for him.

She stirred in her sleep, and moved to face Klaus. Her eyes gave the slightest twitch, which removed the smirk from his face and into pleasing, small smile. He traced the contours of her face, starting from her beautiful, blond hair to her chin. Moving gingerly, he moved his thumb over her neck.

Caroline stirred again, her lips fluttering. _"Klaus."_

He was ready to move away from her bed, for she had forbidden him from it before she fell asleep. He was supposed to sleep on the ground, but he abandoned the thought once she fell asleep a second later. The thought of a bed- and Caroline in it- was something he could not give up on.

He realized however that she wasn't waking up. He noticed how her brows furrowed together in concern. She whispered his name again, this time for urget- and even more passionate than before.

He was amused again. She's dreaming of him, he realized. "Oh, Caroline," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist before joining her in her slumber.

* * *

><p>An hour later, Caroline's eyes opened. It was still dark outside, and she could see the crescent moon illuminating the night sky. She was still tired, but the dream she had woke her up.<p>

In her dream, she and Klaus were actually.. oh, she didn't even want to re-account it. She wasn't sure if it was a good dream or not, and she began to feel slightly guilty for having such dreams about the man who turned Tyler's life- and everyone else's, for that matter- upside down.

She felt something tugging her body. She looked down at her waist and noticed a pair of arms wrapping around her. Her body immediately grew tense. She knew it was Klaus's arms around her, even though her back was on him. He was pulling her closer towards his own body, clinging to her as if he..

Caroline never finished her thought before the night took her once more.

* * *

><p>Caroline woke up again. It was daytime now as she noticed how bright her room was. She looked at the clock at her bedside. <em>10:37 AM.<em>

The memories of the previous night hit her. She looked over at the other side of the bed, and noticed that it was empty. She quickly rose and saw that a pillow and a folded blanket had taken a place on the edge of her bed.

Caroline could hear something down in the kitchen. Using her vampire abilities, she listened it and quickly gathered that her mom was not home. _Thank God, _she thought. But what is that I hear? Is that.. sizzles?

The blond vampire exited her room carefully. Her house was a single story home, and it didn't take that long to enter into the kitchen. She leaned against the wall at the entrance, watching the man in front of her cooking.

Klaus had his back hunched over, flipping his eggs from the pan. He slid over to the counter and tossed in two slices of bread in the toaster. He was engrossed in his task for a while, unaware that Caroline was watching him from behind.

She couldn't believe that Klaus was in front of her, cooking nonetheless. She didn't even know that Klaus can cook. Didn't he have a lot of servants or something to do that for him? But now, here he is, cooking as if it was any normal day, as if he was human.

"You could make yourself a little useful instead of staring at me," Klaus said, now aware that Caroline was indeed behind him. It didn't take too long; her scent caught his attention only a couple minutes after she entered the kitchen.

His voice made her jump from where she was standing. Pushing herself against the wall, she walked towards his direction. "I didn't know you cook."

Klaus chuckled as he placed the eggs on to the plates. "You don't know a lot about me, sweetheart."

Caroline thought about this for a moment. He was right; she didn't know a lot of things about him. She only assumed certain things about his personality, considering the recent events that took place for several months now. As a matter of fact, they barely encountered each other, much less had a conversation until the night he showed up at her doorstep. It was pretty ironic really. She had always thought that her death- her existence- didn't matter to him.

"Take out the bread and get the butter, will you?" he asked while he poured a cup of orange juice for the both of them. Caroline followed his instructions, walking towards the refrigerator and taking out the butter. She placed both items on the table and sat down.

Klaus joined her moments later, placing the plate in front of her. "Eat," he said, giving her an encouraging smile.

She looked down at the eggs in front of her. It smells very delicious, she has to admit. It even _looks_ delicious. Can eggs look like this for breakfast? _Seriously, this seems too perfect, _Caroline thought. _A vampire who wanted to kill my friends is actually cooking breakfast for me. This is just too funny to think about._

He was watching her from the corner of his eyes as he ate his eggs. She was still there, staring down at the food, probably thinking that he poisoned it or something. "I didn't do anything to your eggs, if that's what you're wondering. Even if I poisoned you, you can heal."

Caroline glared at him from across the table. "I know. I'm not stupid."

She snatched the fork that he placed earlier beside her plate and ate his eggs. _Oh God, _she thought. _This is wonderful._

Caroline ate the rest of the eggs in the matter of seconds. Klaus raised his brow from across the table, surprised how such a little creature can eat with such speed. He has to admit: she enchanted and surprised him every minute they're together.

Drinking her orange juice, she noticed that the cell phone that she placed last night began to buzz. She snatched it quickly before Klaus could do anything, and read the caller I.D.

_Elena._

She sat there for a moment, holding on to the phone. She wanted to answer the call, she really did, but she didn't know how to explain the whole situation to her. _Oh, hey Elena. Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing special really. Just the four original siblings threatening to kill me if Klaus didn't deliver the fourth coffin. Oh, and Klaus? Yeah, he spent the night with me and now he actually made breakfast for me._

Caroline knew that she had to answer it anyways, regardless of what happened. She couldn't keep her best friend in the blind. But when she was about to answer, the buzzing stopped. She had missed the call.

Klaus didn't say anything as he watched her. How can this woman be so beautiful after everything that had ever happened? He knew that throughout his thousand years of existence, there must be more beautiful women than her. But at that moment, nobody can compare herself to Caroline. Even with her messy hair, her attitude, she surpassed them all with her bravery, her dignity, her grace and beauty.

Klaus finished his eggs and stood up, finishing the last drops of his orange juice. He took his plate and Caroline's, and placed them in the sink. He turned the water on, and started to wash the dishes.

His actions for the past couple of days had surprise him. He usually doesn't cook, or even wash the dishes. But now here he was, doing something he thought was far below him for a baby vampire. He had to admit: Caroline did indeed change him, and he began to wonder if it was right for him to do such thing.

Behind him, she could hear Caroline laugh. He turned around, his hands washing the last dish. "Did I miss anything funny?"

"Yeah," she said in between laughs. "An Oringinal cooking and doing the dishes."

Klaus gave her a small smile. "I guess it is pretty amusing. I never cooked for anyone before."

Caroline's phone buzzed again. _Elena. _

She looked at Klaus, who just placed the last dish on the rack. "I don't know what to say to her."

The original vampire crossed his arms and leaned against the kitchen sink. "Tell her whatever you want. Whether or not is the truth or a lie, it doesn't matter to me."

Caroline glanced at him, wondering why he suddenly shut down on her. She shrugged her shoulders, trying not to care what Klaus thinks of her now, or ever for that matter. Standing up, she answered the phone as she left the kitchen.

"Caroline! I've been trying to reach you," her best friend said. Caroline could hear the relief in her voice. "What happened last night? We tried to find you, but we couldn't. Stefan showed up and we had our hands tied with him. But then we found Tyler in the woods.."

"How is he?" Caroline asked, guilt evident in her voice. She felt guilty that she forgot about him the night before, but Elena's text reassured her that he was indeed healing.

"He's fine, the last time I checked on him. But he's gone, Caroline. Damon went to see him this morning but he disappeared," Elena said. "He left you a note, though."

The news of Tyler leaving shocked Caroline. She felt her hand reaching for the wall as she tried to steady herself. Tyler, leaving? How can he leave just like that? After the attack? After what he did to her? And without even saying goodbye in front of her face?

"Caroline? Are you still there? Look, I'm about to come over n-"

"No! Don't!" Caroline said, a little too quickly. She can only imagine how suspicious she founds right now. "Meet me at the Grill in an hour."

She quickly hung up without hearing her friend's answer. Caroline tucked the phone back into her pockets and turned around, only to run into Klaus.

"He left?" he asked her.

Caroline glared at him. "You listened into my conversation?"

"I can't help it. Old habits die hard," he shrugged.

Caroline shook her head, feeling already frustrated with this whole situation. "I'm going to shower and then leave."

She stormed past Klaus, but he quickly grabbed her by the arm. "No, you're not. Did you suddenly forget about what happened last night? I can't let you out of my sights. My insane and spoiled sister might do something to you."

Caroline tugged her arm away from Klaus. She didn't like how he touched her. Actually, she did like it. His touch brought excitement within her, something that she never felt before. His skin was so warm, something odd that Caroline had found. She just didn't like the feeling that he stirred within her. It's just not right.

"I am aware of what happened last night," she replied, still glaring at him. "That's why I wanted to meet with Elena. I'm going to go and see if I can save your ass."

* * *

><p>Caroline walked into the Grill a little later than she anticipated. She argued a little bit with Klaus after she finished showering. With her hair drenched, she tried to drown his voice out by turning on the blow dryer. That itself made Klaus mad, and he left her.<p>

_So much for keeping me in sights, _she thought smugly.

She looked around bar, and quickly found Elena sitting down by herself. The brunette was staring into space, deep in thought. Caroline studied her friend and noticed how recent events had taken a toll on her. She looked older now and bags began to appear on the bottom of her eyes. Her face was paler; she definitely lost her glow.

"Hey," Caroline greeted, sliding on to the chair in front of her friend.

Elena blinked, her eyes taking in Caroline. "Hey."

"Did you eat yet? You look tired," Caroline said with a worried tone in her voice.

"I'm not really hungry. But here, I have the note for you," Elena said, sliding the note across the table to her blond friend.

Caroline snatched the paper from the table and held it in her hands. Her hand tore the paper open, and read its contents:

_Caroline,_

_I'm so sorry for everything. Ever since I became a hybrid, I have done nothing good for our relationship. I almost killed you even, and for that, I am truly sorry. You were right Caroline: I needed to end my bond with Klaus. It's not right for me to follow his bidding. Nothing good has come to that._

_While you are reading this, I am looking for someone who can help me end my bond with Klaus. Maybe another werewolve or even a witch perhaps. I really don't know where I'm going with this, but I know that I can't come back until I fix myself. I'm doing this for you, for your safety. I love you Caroline, I always will. _

_I will be back as soon as I can. Love, Tyler._

Caroline closed her note. She felt silent tears pouring down her cheeks. Elena reached for her friend's hand, but Caroline moved it quickly. She can't do this right now. Everything is just piling down on her, suffocating her in the process.

She knew that she couldn't lie to Elena again. She needed to tell her the truth. As she opened her mouth, she noticed that Damon entered the Grill. His eyes scanned the bar until it landed on their table. With a swift motion, as if he didn't care about exposure, he was standing above them, angry.

Elena jumped back in surprise. His presence made Elena nervous again, and Caroline noticed how she tried to hide it. "Damon, what are you doing here?" Elena asked. "And can't you just walk like everyone else?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders, glancing around the almost-empty bar. "No one is even here. And for those who are, they're too hung-over to notice anyways."

Elena sighed, shaking her head. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"Well, Elena, I just went to look for Stefan and see how that ungrateful little brother of mine is doing after I snapped his neck. I only turned my back on him for one second, and next thing you know, he's gone." Damon replied.

Elena's mouth opened in shock. "What do you mean gone?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders again. "Gone, vanished, caput. He ran from Mystics Falls, Elena. And he's not alone. He brought the fourth coffin with him too."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** You don't think it would be that easy for Klaus, right? Anyways! I hope you guys enjoyed this story so far :3 Please review! I want to hear about your thoughts in this so far, and maybe some suggestions? Who knows, I might use it or maybe get inspired by it, haha :P_

_and OMG! Did you guys watched yesterday's episode? Isn't it sad how he burned the sketches? Hopefully, we'll see more of them in upcoming episodes (stupid Spring Hiatus..)_


	5. On The Road

Klaus watched the scene from a distance. He was standing across the street, near an abandoned building that smelled like a cross of death and sweat, if such combination is even possible. He could see three figures clearly from a great length, and hear them perfectly as well.

He knew that he's becoming some type of stalker, especially when Caroline was concerned. But he couldn't let her out of his sights, especially when his family- specifically, his psychotic sister- was involved. Therefore, he followed her when she left earlier in her car, keeping a good distance away, making sure that her vampire abilities wouldn't sense him.

When he heard Damon breaking the news to the two women, he could see the hope and disappointment fall from Caroline's face. He closed his eyes, too feeling that disappointing feeling. Of course he knew that this whole thing wouldn't be easy, but a part of him couldn't help but feel a little optimistic when he figured out Caroline's plan. He could take on the Salvatore brothers at once. They were after all, hundreds of years younger than him. He could rip out their hearts in a matter of seconds, but taking on his siblings- four, angry Originals- was another matter.

A small, disappointed sigh escaped his lips. He knew he needed to figure out a plan. Fast.

* * *

><p>Caroline stormed out of the Grill, her hand in her bag searching for her car keys. After she heard Damon's news, she couldn't stand being in the room with him anymore. She still hasn't forgotten about what he did to her when she was human, and being so close to him frustrated her. His snarky remarks, his mission to steal Elena away from Stefan only made her want to snap his neck even more.<p>

Caroline was too caught up with her thoughts, she didn't see Klaus standing in front of her. He was leaning against the hood of her car, his arms crossed. She jumped back, surprised to see him in front of her.

"Looking for this?" He uncrossed his arms and presented her car keys in front of her.

Caroline tried to snatch the keys from his hands, but moved his hand, enclosing the keys in between his palms. "Where did you get that?

He shrugged. "You dropped it on the way in. You know sweetheart, being a vampire increases all types of senses. I would have thought that you would at least hear your car keys drop right behind you."

"Give. Me. My. Keys," she gritted her teeth, her frustration increasing once again.

"I don't think so,love," he said, and started walking toward the door of her car. "Now get in. I'm driving."

She watched him unlock her car and settling down on the driver's seat. He raised his brow at her as he switched the engine on, bringing her car back to life. Her gut was pulling her back. She can't just trust him like that. He was _Klaus, _after all.

But the memory of last night, the way he held and protected her from his siblings. How we remained close to her, how the sensation of his touch ignited her skin, setting-

At that moment, Klaus pressed the honk of her car, allowing Caroline to interrupt her unwanted thoughts. She glared at him from where she was standing, but Klaus just shrugged from where he was.

Not knowing what else she could do, she followed him into the car, settling herself in the passenger seat. She threw her bag to back seat before buckling herself. "So where are we going?"

Klaus didn't answer her as he drove out of the parking lot. In truth, he doesn't really know where he was going. All he has is a hunch- a weak one at that. But he sensed that Caroline was impatiently waiting for him to answer her. Her stubbornness did annoy him slightly, but a part of him enjoyed her fieriness.

"Caroline, darling," he said, not taking his eyes off the road. "We're going to find Stefan."

* * *

><p>He had to lie to her.<p>

He doesn't actually know what he was doing. Finding Stefan would be difficult for him, especially under the limited time that he was given. He could be anywhere in the country. Hell, he could be anywhere in the world.

But he knew that Stefan wouldn't be too far. His first instinct was to go to Chicago, but that was just too easy. Stefan wouldn't choose somewhere where they first met. He had to be somewhere else, in some time of major city where he could blend in with the millions of city dwellers.

His second best guess would be Philadelphia. Stefan was always a fan of the classics.

Klaus looked over towards the passenger seat, and saw that Caroline was still sleeping. He knew she was trying to keep herself awake for hours before finally giving up. He found her lack of trust towards him offending. After all, if he wanted to kill her already- although he never did nor will he ever- she would be dead by now.

It was getting dark outside, and the empty, country road proved to be difficult to drive in. Even though he lived a thousand years, he was never a fan of technology. He hated driving, and he always had someone drive him. But this case was too sensitive for him to make someone else drive. Besides, he wanted to be with Caroline alone.

In a distance, he saw a glowing, orange neon sign. Pressing the car pedal harder, the car speeded up until he finally can read it. _Vacancy, _he read. _Perfect._

He parked the car in the empty lot and turned the engine off. He looked over towards the blonde beauty once again, and found himself entranced by her again. Even in her sleep, she was still beautiful. Her curls fell perfectly against the sides of her face; her mouth opened in a small O. Her breaths were slow and steady, although he knew that breathing wasn't necessary for her.

Klaus really couldn't blame her for continuing to be human. She was still a young vampire, not even a year yet. He has to admire her adjustments in such a small time. Even for a young vampire, she proofed herself to be strong and dangerous like those who are far more experienced. She even stood up against his sister, and that act itself earned her points from him.

Klaus blinked, realizing that he's been sitting in the car for more than he should. He looked over at the empty building centered at the front, and noticed that there was a small figure looming from the window. _Must be the owner, _he thought.

Slowly, his hand reached out and shook Caroline gently. She stirred, mumbled something he couldn't understand, and fell still once again. His hand reached out for her again, but Caroline sat up abruptly, startling him.

"Shit," she cursed, as if she noticed him for the first time. "Where the hell are we?"

"Do you really do that? Startle someone who wakes you?" he asked as he opened the car door. "It's really scary, and I have to admit, pretty unattractive."

Caroline shot him an ugly look. "It's not like I was trying to impress you."

He shrugged his shoulders and closed the car door. He could feel Caroline watching him from the car as he walked towards the check-in building. The figure from the window disappeared by the time he was only a few steps shy of the door.

The building proved to be as old in the inside as it was outside. The lights were too dim for the night. The stench of the carpet, and as Klaus suspected, the odor of something unidentifiable, disgusted him. The owner, an elderly man with baldening hair smiled at him from behind the desk.

"Welcome to Off the Road Inn!" he said in a too cheery voice for someone who has to work at night. "Will it be a room for you and your girlfriend?"

Caroline walked into the building only a few seconds after Klaus. She knew that it was dangerous to leave him alone with someone human. Yet, she knew that fighting against him would be difficult. He was well over her age, and preventing him from killing someone would also mean suicide for her.

"Yes, a room for us," Klaus replied, not even trying to correct the man's choice of words.

"Alright. We have a policy here. Before any guest can enter their room, the must pay for it. One night will be 45 dollars. We accept cash and any forms of major credit cards," he said.

Klaus stepped closer towards the desk that stood between him and the man. "I don't think so," he said, his voice deepening. "I think the room will be free of charge,"

"That's ridiculous! I'll pay, you cheap ass," Caroline said, reaching for her wallet.

"No need sweetheart," Klaus smirked, holding the keys in the palm of his hands. "A woman should never pay for things such as this."

"Well a man would never kidnap a woman or kill someone," Caroline retorted as Klaus walked passed her. Klaus didn't stop for her, nor did he reply when he pushed the exit door open. Caroline turned around to look at the elderly man, who still stood there with a smile on his face. She gave him the money for the night, thanked him, and followed Klaus out the door.

"Wait!" she shouted, running after him. She used her vampire speed to fall in step beside him. "Why can't we drive for the night to reach Philadelphia?

"Even as a vampire Caroline, I can still be tired," Klaus replied. "I would let you drive for the night, but I'm pretty sure you will drive us off into the Atlantic."

He stopped at the front of a door that read _102._ He inserted the key in and stepped into the room. His hand struggled to find the light switch, but he finally flicked it on.

Caroline's eyes gazed over the room. It wasn't as bad as she expected it to be. It was well-lit with a bathroom in the corner, an open window, a clean carpet, a bed-

_Wait._

Her eyes snapped into the single queen bed that stood in the middle of the room. One bed for the two of them? There was no way she would share the bed with him after the long day that she had.

"There's only one bed," Caroline stated.

Klaus shrugged his shoulders and tossed the hotel key on a nearby table. "You didn't have trouble last night when we slept on the same bed together."

_We did? That was actually real? _Caroline thought to herself as she closed the door behind her. _Great. How am I going to talk myself out of this?_

"I didn't invite you to share a bed with me. You just happened to jump in like a creep that you are."

Klaus ignored her comment. "I'm not going to do anything to you, Caroline. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to take a shower."

Caroline watched him as he walked into the bathroom, leaving the door slightly ajar. From the opening, she could watch Klaus taking his shirt off, showing off his pale, yet firm skin. He wasn't as built as Tyler, but his body was still-

_Enough. You need to stop staring at him. He's the enemy, not a celebrity to be admired._

Caroline sat on the edge of the bed. She reached for the phone inside her bag, but stopped herself. If she called her friends back in Mystic Falls, they would come in chasing after her. But then what? Fight Klaus until she could go back? Damon wouldn't stand a chance against him. Bonnie could, but the magic proved to be too much for her. She couldn't risk Bonnie like that. Then there's Elena, whose life has been the center of all this Hell. Caroline couldn't do that to Elena either. If she could get to Stefan first, maybe talk to some sense into him, everything would be alright.

Maybe the plan sounded better in her head. Stefan was too damaged after what he went through with Klaus and the other Originals. He was so driven for revenge, he pushed away the love of his life and even his only brother away. Caroline didn't know why she thought she can change his mind. He was her mentor, but there was nothing more than that. Sure, they had a few heart-felt moments, but if Elena couldn't bring him back, how can Caroline?

Frustrated, she leaned back against the bed, her hand raking it her long, blond hair. Their lives weren't supposed to be like this. She was the cheerleader and Miss Mystic Falls. She was suppose to marry Tyler in a big wedding where everyone attended. Bonnie and Elena were supposed to be her bridesmaid. She and Tyler would then live in a house in the heart of the town, raising their four children.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. That was supposed be her life. A peaceful one; a _normal _one. Now here she was, a vampire sharing a room with a murderous original chasing after a vampire who basically fell off the wagon. She couldn't hold on to a normal life anymore. There would be no peace, no wedding, and most saddening of all- there would be no children.

_**A/N:** SO_ _sorry for the lack of updates. I've been busy with school and all that good stuff. Now that it's Summer, I can do updates more often now :) Please review! Haha. I'm kind of out of touch, so if this chapter sucks, sorry!_


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